Microsoft is rolling out an update preview to the Microsoft Store, likely hoping users will spend more time (and maybe even some money) on it, and the biggest changes are to product pages for apps and games, which are taking on a Netflix-like look . visual innovation. The preview, called version 22409, is currently available to Windows Insiders across all Insider channels – and Microsoft says it will be available to all users soon.
Microsoft is bringing what it calls “an immersive experience” to the top of app pages instead of just images and text descriptions. When you visit the page of an app or game that has a trailer, it plays as you navigate through the product page. If the app or game doesn’t have an accompanying trailer, you’ll see a big catchy promotional image from the developers instead.
If you’re a user of a streaming platform (not to point fingers, but Netflix has been a bit prolific at this) that hates autoplay ads, Microsoft happily assures users that you can disable autoplay of videos can disable it in the Microsoft Store settings.
The company also notes that these new, reworked product pages will be available in both light and dark modes to match your Windows 11 themes.
We’ll have to see how app and game developers respond, and Microsoft encourages them to take advantage of the new capabilities of the Microsoft Store.
One small step for the Microsoft Store…
It’s not the biggest or boldest change in the world, but I could see how gradual improvements in the user experience like this could convince more people to try the Microsoft Store, a part of Windows 10 and Windows 11 that Microsoft would like more people to use. start using it. usage.
This development follows a pretty notable update aimed at making the Microsoft Store generally faster and easier to use. If this works as intended, you’ll hopefully find that it loads faster and seems cleaner, making it easier to find apps and games.
While the company is keen to get more people using its rather unloved store (compared to Apple’s successful App Store for Macs), I can also understand why Microsoft doesn’t roll out major updates all at once. Especially considering the journey that Windows 11 has been on, updates can sometimes be buggy or even disruptive thanks to unexpected quirks.
I’d like to see the Microsoft Store become a robust, functional, and reliable place for Windows users to download and install apps and games – and that’s not going to happen if Microsoft comes out with a bunch of updates that break almost as much as they fix. If Microsoft really wants the Microsoft Store to be a success, it will have to take its time.